It is an indictment of the government that after 15 years many children in our rural areas are still as disadvantaged as they were at the height of apartheid. Ten years after the advent of democracy there were altogether 939 schools with mud walls in the Eastern Cape alone. In 2006, there were still 572 schools in that province.
Cope is saddened that children in disadvantaged communities remain persistently neglected in this way. Our grand constitutional guarantees are rendered null and void in these forgotten areas. Meanwhile, all around the country the majority of our children have access to decent or outstanding school buildings and facilities.
On the other hand, children in rural areas are still forced to receive their education in the bare veld or under trees or inside structures that are not in the least conducive to teaching and learning. Yet the same children are expected to compete as equals in the job market when they leave school.
Chairperson, without equal facilities in schools there can be no equal socioeconomic opportunities in our society. The government can certainly cap its own expenses, and Ministers can trim their lavish lifestyles to fund this. Thank you very much. [Applause.]